


Knock At The Door

by WriterofGotham



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Justice League (2017), Justice League - All Media Types
Genre: Barry and TIm get along well, Barry is a good bro, Clark is cool, F/M, Gen, Grieving, Hurt/Comfort, Protective Bruce, Robin in the DC movie verse, Tim gets along with everyone, Victor is a cool teacher, bruce has no idea what to do, friends - Freeform, starting out, the justice league is confused at first, the justice league love him
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-02
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-02-09 07:30:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12883056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WriterofGotham/pseuds/WriterofGotham
Summary: What if Batman had a Robin again? He's going to train him better and not without help. The entire League pitches in to train him, so when the time comes and villians are attacking all over the world Robin is the only person who can help them





	1. unpaid internship

Wayne Manor loomed darkly over him, as Tim tried to get up the courage to knock. It was a simple enough thing, hand on the door and give it a good rap. Someone would answer and Tim wasn't sure what they would do. On one hand, they would listen to him and ask him in, or they might kick him out without ever listening to him. He made sure he was dressed well, he picked out a red polo, and he even ironed the kakis hoping they would take him seriously. Tim clutched the satchel he had filled with evidence he gathered from years watching Batman and Robin. Ever since he was ten he walked, and ran through Gotham at night following his heroes. He loved Batman and Robin, they stood up for the people that couldn't stand up for themselves. When Rouges attacked, Batman kept the citizens safe. Tim took pictures of them. He had a lot of when Jason was Robin, but not as many of Dick when he was Robin.

He knocked on the heavy oak door before he could stop himself. He began to think of worse case options they could do to him: killing him, keeping him prisoner, or sending him to another planet. Thankfully, the door opened to reveal an older man in a sweater and cargo pants.

"Hello, who are you?" Mr. Pennyworth asked Tim knew all of them by name. He wasn't a creepy stalker, not really.

"Hi, Mr. Pennyworth, my name is Tim Drake. I am here to discuss something with Mr. Wayne. I must see him, it's urgent." Tim stated, he had a whole speech prepared in case there were questions asked, but Mr. Pennyworth laughed instead.

"I can see if he's busy, follow me." Mr. Pennyworth told him as he led him to a library. Tim's eyes went large at the number of books the study contained. It was larger than the one his parents had, they never kept it up to date with current books.

"Stay here, and I'll get Master Wayne," Alfred told him as he watched the young boy sit up straight and looked, well tried to look at ease. No one younger than thirty visited the manor unless it was a girl that Bruce brought home to complete the look of, "Brucie." The boy was smaller, lean, dark haired and blue eyed like the boys he'd raised. He looked familiar in some way. Alfred couldn't place where he'd seen him before.

"Ah, Bruce there you are, you have a guest in the library on the second floor," Alfred told Bruce when he found him in the Batcave working on the plans for the Hall of Justice.

"Who is it?" Bruce asked boredly.

"You'll see," Alfred replied.

Bruce raised an eyebrow, but Alfred didn't elaborate. He got up from his planning and walked toward the library. He was surprised to see a skinny teenager waiting for him.

"Mr. Wayne, I'm Tim Drake and I want to show you some facts I've collected." Bruce wanted to chuckle at the boy's determination. The chuckle died when he saw pictures of himself at night. Old pictures, ones of him and Dick, others when Jason had started out as Robin. The boy explained, "I watched you every night I knew who you were for years, and Batman needs Robin." He brought out a graph and pointed to it as he spoke again, "This is when you had Robin, you were careful less reckless and criminals didn't get sent to the hospital. This is when Jason died, you fought Superman. You tried to replace Jason with other people, the whole Justice League, you want a partner. I want to apply for an unpaid internship for Robin."

Bruce didn't expect that. He was so careful in telling people who he was. How did this child know? Bruce's first instinct was to send him away, the child wasn't going to be Robin. The boys he'd taken left him and died. He wasn't going to take in another. The name was familiar, then Bruce placed it. The child had parents he was the only child of Jack and Janet Drake.

"How did you figure it out?" Bruce asked.

"It was easy. I saw Dick Grayson preform at the circus, and I saw Robin do a trick that Dick Grayson could only do," Tim explained.

"No, you're not going to be Robin. No one is going to be Robin again," Bruce finally stated.

"You need Robin, I would have been here sooner. I tried, but my parents put me in Brentwood, you know the boarding school, and I couldn't get away. I promise I'll listen to you. I can do it." Tim's blue eyes danced earnestly as he continued to plead for the position, "I can do casework, and I'm good at puzzles. I don't make a lot of noise. I promise that I won't get in the way. I talked to Dick Grayson and he said that he wouldn't be Robin again or I wouldn't be here."

"No, you aren't going to be Robin. There isn't going to ever be a new Robin," Bruce repeated flatly.

"You're wrong. I am going to be Robin. I'll work for it, I don't expect it to be given to me. You need someone to keep you honest, I can do it. I will never expose you secret," Tim said passionately.

"Do you know what happened to the last Robin, my son, Jason? He was beaten to death with a crowbar by the Joker. You have no idea what you're getting into. I won't allow it," Bruce told him.

"You need Robin, I won't be your son, I couldn't do that. Train me for a month and then see." Tim reasoned.

"A month? I don't think that you could make it a month. I admire you trying to help, but it's too dangerous for you."

"Mr. Wayne, I've been following you and Robin for four years I've seen what goes on in Gotham. It scares me, but I can help, sir." Tim told him, even as his heart beat rapidly.

"Fine, but when you quit you can't tell anyone my secret," Bruce told him.

"Thank you, sir. I won't disappoint you," Tim said, "You don't have to worry about my parents."

"Your parents?" Bruce prompted.

"Out of town most of the year and they are huge supports of justice," Tim replied, thinking that at least the first half was true.

"One month and if it doesn't work out. You just leave and don't tell anyone," Bruce said. "You may come over at the Manor at 3:00 every day to train."

Tim stood up from the sofa and shook Bruce's hand, "Thank you, and sir, I promise I won't disappoint you. What can I do for you?"

"You want to start now?" Bruce asked.

"Yes, if that's alright. I'll just set my evidence here." Tim said as he put his satchel with pictures and evidence on the sofa.

Bruce looked at the teenage boy with bright eyes, who was so terribly young. Like Jason and Dick were when they were Robin, but Robins left him when they got older, or they died, and it was his fault. This boy would either fail or he would be better than either of the last Robins.

Tim followed him down into the cave and his whole body language screamed that he was excited, but he was trying to hide it. "Is that Flash's suit?" Tim asked. The Batcave was so huge and filled with awesome things that Tim could only imagine what they were.

"One of them, he keeps a spare here for emergencies," Bruce replied.

"That makes sense. Is he cool? I mean he looks cool, but he seems like a different kind of cool than you. Aquaman and Wonder Woman are a different level of scary/cool. Cyborg is really cool," Tim said just before he realized he was rambling.

"He's cool, I guess," Bruce said as he tried to figure out what to say to the teen. It had been so long and he didn't want to encourage him.

"What do you want me to do first?" Tim asked as he still was gazing around the room.

"Show me what you can do, lifting weights, any other skills besides stalking, and how you can run," Bruce instructed.

For the next two hours, Tim showed everything that he had ever learned at Karate classes he had taken for years. Tim showed the exercises he practiced before coming to Wayne Manor, and he tried to show that he be Robin. He could run all night long and fight without getting tired. He tried and he was disappointed that he wasn't as good as Jason, or Dick. He would have to double his efforts so Bruce wouldn't be dissatisfied.

Bruce watched as the kid puffed and breathed hard as he lifted more than he should have. He saw the kid struggle as he ran on the treadmill. What stuck out the most was, he didn't give up. He was pouring sweat and struggling to show everything he was capable of. He didn't stop and he didn't give up.

"Okay, stop," Bruce said.

Tim stoped running, he was breathing hard he sat on the edge of the treadmill and looked up at Bruce. Tim's face screamed, "Was I good enough?"

"You have room for improvement, but we'll see after a month," Bruce said finally. "The showers are to the left in the hall. Alfred can find you some clothes that might fit you."

Tim's eyes lit up with that statement and Bruce was determined to look into his past, beyond knowing that he stalked him for years. That kid was something else from what he'd seen.

"Thank you, Mr. Wayne. I won't be long." Tim walked to the shower slowly, still taking in the Batcave.

Bruce watched him walk as he left and found Alfred, doing Alfred things around the manor. "Our guest will need a change of clothes. He didn't stop for two hours. He wants to be Robin." Bruce said.

"I don't know if that's a good thing or bad one. You do need Robin, I wish it wasn't that way, but the Justice League isn't the same you need someone to be there and remind you that there is light in the world still," Alfred stated.

"I told him I would let him have a month if he quits no shame in it. I've seen the way he worked to show me what he could do. He doesn't seem the type to quit," Bruce said.

"I'll go get the clothes for him, hopefully we have some that could fit. Master Timothy is rather small," Alfred said.

"They all were," Bruce muttered.

Alfred went to find some of Dick's old clothes, he knew better than to give him Jason's clothes. He kept up Jason's room. Brice didn't go in there anymore, old habits he supposed Jason loved his privacy.

Dick's clothes were in his bedroom Alfred found plenty of tee shirts that had Gotham Knight's logo on them. Alfred thought to all the games that Bruce had taken Dick and Jason to. He shook head clearing it of the memories that came to the surface. Alfred walked down to place the clothes at the door of the shower room. He still heard the shower running. Alfred remembered that Bruce told him how hard he had worked so he decided to make the teen a snack.

Alfred gathered a sports drink and a few protein bars, he glanced around the kitchen to see if there was anything else he might need to take with him. Alfred walked into the elevator down to the Batcave. The first thing he saw was Tim staring at the glass case that held Jason's memorial. The boy turned around and greeted him.

"Hi, Mr. Pennyworth thanks for letting me borrow the clothes. I'll bring them back," Tim promised.

"Your welcome. I have some refreshments for you. Master Bruce was impressed," Alfred said, as he offered the drink and protein bars.

"Thank you, I don't know if I did enough," Tim said as he took the offered bar and drink.

"If I may ask why do you want to be Robin?" Alfred asked.

Tim looked at him for a second, "Robin is a hero and I grew up believing in Batman and Robin. I saw Bruce spiraling out of control. I would have come sooner, but I had school I couldn’t leave without answering some specific questions, ya know. I tried, but I couldn't get here before now. I realized that he needed Robin. I contacted Dick Grayson and I didn't convince him to come back and be Robin. People in Gotham need to know that they can be safe again. Batman needs Robin. I know I don't look like much, but I'm willing to try and be a good vigilante, uh, partner."

"That's a noble goal," Alfred commented. It seemed that people were coming into Bruce's life that were going to stay. This young man might be just what Bruce needed. A light in Gotham was hard to find, and Tim seemed to burn so brightly. Batman did need Robin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been thinking about this idea for a while, I finally wrote it. I love Tim Drake he is my favorite Robin. I love that he was rejected by so many people, but he never gave up. I will be messing with canon.


	2. training is hard, but life was never easy

Diana was in the middle of authenticating some paintings that had just been shipped to the Louve when her cell phone buzzed, she pulled it out and entered her password. The email she had thought was a work one, was from Bruce Wayne, which wasn't surprising they both had been talking back and forth quite a bit as they were the ones that were in charge of designing the Hall of Justice. She read the email quickly, Bruce was canceling their appointment to work on the finishing touches on the Hall. Diana read it again, this wasn't normal for Bruce. She had tried calling him, but he wasn't answering his phone even Alfred didn't answer. Diana finally decided to check on him and make sure he hadn't gotten in over his head in a case. If she showed up he may not need her, or he may be busy with his business. Instead of calling Bruce again she thought of someone else who might help. Victor, he could see everything, everywhere and see if Bruce actually needed any help.

Diana reached for her cell phone and found his number and pressed call, it had barely rung when he answered. "Diana?"

"Hello, Victor, it's me, Diana. I have been trying to call Bruce, but he hasn't answered. Has been up to anything that would make him out of reach?" She asked frankly still a concerned about Bruce.

"Just a second," there was a pause over the phone as Victor went through the cave's feed. "He's at his manor. He's in the cave looking up school records and everything else he could lay his hands on a boy, named Timothy J. Drake. Teenager doing well in all his classes, but tennis. It looks like he's been home for days. Anything I can help you with, Diana?"

"Thanks, Victor. Is there anything special about the boy?" Diana asked Bruce was up to something.

"It seems that he's been coming to the manor every day at 3:00 for the last two days. He's a teenager. Bruce has been teaching him a little bit of everything," Cyborg said as he watched the footage, the sound was disabled so he couldn't hear any of what was said.

"Is he training another Robin?" Diana asked bewildered. The all had seen the memorial for the fallen Robin in the cave. Most of them thought of Batman as a myth, but Robin was a legend, a light for Batman's darkness. He was the hope where Batman didn't have any. Victor had found footage and shown them all the death of Jason Todd, Bruce's teenage son. He had gone in a warehouse looking for his mother. The Joker was already there with a crowbar and... Jason didn't come out. The League had a better understanding of Bruce after that. Jason was only fifteen, with dreams of going to college as an English major. He'd grown up on the streets with nothing and Bruce took him and made him his sidekick. They all had wondered about the spooky memorial with the Robin suit that had been painted on and was holding a crowbar. Victor has shown the video, Barry realized why Bruce was good at pep talks and doing things afraid. He'd probably told Jason them at one time. Arthur hasn't heard of Batman, but seeing the teen and knowing of his murder made him wish that Batman never had a partner.

"It looks like it. I didn't think he'd do it again," Victor sighed.

"You should tell the other's, I don't know how they will take it. I'm going to visit him, and make sure that's what's really going on," Diana said. They said goodbyes and Diana set out for Gotham.

Alfred heard knocking at the door. He honestly wasn't sure who it was, it could be any one of the League or Timothy Drake. Tim had a habit of coming early to get in more training. Alfred still had to hold back a chuckle at the thought of a teenager telling Bruce that he needed to be more careful, and he was being reckless.

Alfred had long told him that, but for a child to see it was another thing altogether. He did let a chuckle escape his lips as he checked to see who it was at the door. He saw that it was Ms. Prince she was impeccably dressed as usual. She had the same confident air about her, but it was mixed with questions.

Alfred pulled the door open and greeted her, "Hello, Ms. Prince. How are you?"

"I am well, thank you for asking. Alfred, is Bruce in?" Diana asked in her rich accent.

"Yes, I believe that he is. You should ask about our visitor we have been having. I still can not believe it," Alfred gave a small chuckle.

Diana's eyes lit up as she walked toward the Batcave. She found Bruce pouring over files and official records.

"Hello, Bruce," she said as his head jerked up.

"Hi Diana. I didn't notice you walk in," Bruce replied as he still read the files and what looked like school records from a private school.

"Alfred told me to ask about your guest you had. Why are you looking in on a teenager?" Diana asked hoping the answer she had come up with was wrong.

"Would you believe it if I told you he wants to be Robin," Bruce sighed.

Diana's steps faltered a little, as the realization dawned on her that Bruce was training another child to fight crime, it wasn't a mistake in her thinking. "You didn't seek him out?"

"No, I didn't he comes to the Manor and asks to speak with and then shows pictures of me and the two former Robins. Tim, that's his name he demands that I give it a month before I make any decision. He works out, but he's small and doesn't have the natural physical shape that the others did. He's been in self-defense classes for years," Bruce said as he shook his head. "I have looked everywhere for an excuse to tell him no. His school records are perfect so I can't say that his grades would fall. His parents are gone a lot so they wouldn't miss him. He really wants it. I don't want another soldier." Bruce said the last part in an almost whisper. Diana looked at all the records for Timothy Drake. It seemed like a mound of paperwork in excellent marks and teacher's notes. He played chess and seemed he had only a few friends.

"Is he doing well with his training?" Diana asked finally. "I can't fault him for anything. He practices it until it is perfect and he doesn't give up at all. I tried to show him the hardest moves and he gives it his all and doesn't complain," Bruce said exasperatedly.

"You don't want a soldier, but he's willing to a warrior. You need to train him hard. The harder and better he trains the more it will protect him," Diana told him.

"I thought you wouldn't want another Robin," Bruce said confused until he remembered that she came from a warrior culture. "I don't. Children shouldn't be made to fight battles that aren't theirs. This child has gone to you, what makes you think that he wouldn't go out at night by himself?" Diana pointed out as she crossed her arms and looked at Bruce.

"Exactly, I would have gone out. Gotham has too much crime for me to leave alone," Tim said as he sat on a step coming down the Batcave. Bruce and Diana almost jumped at his speaking. Neither had seen or heard him walk down the steps.

"Tim, what have I told you about not announcing when you come in?" Bruce asked he put his files away seamlessly.

"I didn't want to interrupt your conversation. Ms. Prince makes reasonable arguments," Tim said as he came to stand closer to them. "Pleasure to meet you, I'm Tim."

Diana shook the hand he offered, "Nice to meet you too, Tim." Diana smiled at the teen who was determined to be Robin. "You think I make good arguments?"

"You do, Mr. Wayne should listen to you more," Tim replied as his cheeks started to blush. Bruce was giving him a batglare. "Tim, why don't you work on your kicks, I'm sure Diana came to for a reason," Bruce said as noticed that Diana was looking at both of them like she would an infant.

Tim hung his head a little, "Sure, Mr. Wayne. It was an honor to meet you in person, Ms. Prince." Tim walked over to the mats and started to work on kicks that Bruce had shown him earlier, it seemed like he was kicking himself for something he said as he worked.

"Is he always so polite?" Diana asked with a little chuckle.

"Yeah, he is. Let's go somewhere a little more private," Bruce said as he led the way to a study. "Keep up the work, Tim I'll be back soon."

"Sure thing, Mr. Wayne," Tim replied.

"Why do you make him call you Mr. Wayne?" Diana asked as she held back a chuckle.

"He insisted. I think that it's a holdover from all the time at boarding school," Bruce said. "So how did you find out about him?"

"You cancel a meeting at the Hall of Justice. I asked Victor to see what was going on, he's told the others by now. How are you, taking in another Robin?" Diana asked.

Bruce fiddled with a bottle of water that was on the desk in the study before he looked her in the eye, "Not great. I can't mess up again. Jason was my son he knew the risks, and all the training, every lesson didn't keep him safe from the Joker," Bruce replied.

"Let us help you train him. The Amazons are warriors, Atlantis has some of the most intense fighting styles, Victor has every single database at his fingertips, and Clark can teach him how to take people down that are larger than him, and Barry is an excellent example of doing things that scare you. Who could be better teachers, Bruce?" Diana suggested. She saw Bruce's eyebrows tick up as he considered her idea. He shifted in the genuine leather desk chair before he replied.

"We can see how it works out," Bruce finally muttered. "He needs to be ready for anything. Working with the League would prepare him for almost anything. I hope I don't regret this."

"I can tell everyone that the meeting is back on, and we can discuss it. I know that Clark and I can teach him how to deal with super strength. He'll be the most prepared out of us all," Diana reassured as she thought back to all the training she went through and how much she needed it.

Bruce stopped pacing, "Thanks, Diana. I better get back, Tim is probably thinking I left him for good. I'll leave it a surprise about who will be training him. The first lesson will be on how to adapt. Thanks for coming by."

"Your welcome, Bruce. I'll let the other's know and prepare them for teaching him. I'll see you at the meeting tomorrow," Diana told him.

Tim was down in the cave as he practiced his kicks he was also kicking himself internally. He totally embarrassed himself in front of the Wonder Woman. He couldn't believe that she was in the cave and he just sat and watched her and Mr. Wayne talk it was as if he was seeing legends in action. It was an awesome day for him. Tim almost turned red thinking back to him sassing Mr. Wayne, he had no idea what possessed him to make him think that it was a good idea. On the flip side, Ms. Prince thought it was funny. That was a win. He guessed.

He kicked the sparring dummy harder. He was working on speed and power. He couldn't help but think he had a long way to go. Tim worked his legs were beginning to feel like Jello just as Mr. Wayne came back to the cave. "Hi, Mr. Wayne," Tim huffed.

"What do you think of the Justice League?" Bruce asked as he motioned for Tim to sit down across from him.

Tim took a gulp from his drink as he sat across from Bruce, "I like them. I thought Flash saw me the night that you all were in Gotham and met with Commissioner Gorden. Everyone left, but he looked around and I really thought he saw me. I was careful, but I think no one notices me because I don't give off a threatening presence, plus I don't exactly look like a bad guy."

"You were there that night?" Bruce asked he's learning that this kid does a lot of dangerous crap. "There were Parademons in Gotham and you were chasing us?"

"I got some pictures of all of you on the roof that were great. I've lived in Gotham too long to be afraid of things like that," Tim replied as if it was no big deal.


	3. Water and Tim's don't mix

"You aren't going to murder me, right?" Tim asked as he shivered in the cold wind that blew across all of Gotham's harbor. 

Bruce laughed and explained, "Diana and I had a talk about how you should be trained. We decided that all of us should train you. Starting with,” Bruce sighed, “Arthur.” Almost as soon as Bruce had finished speaking the water rippled and Arthur came out of the murky depths. Aquaman looked at both of them sizing them up slowly. He didn’t think that Tim Drake would be so small for a teenager.

“Why didn’t you tell me the entire league was going to teach me? I honestly thought that I was going to die. You can tell me things that pertain to me,” Tim said startled and upset that Bruce told him at the last minute who was going to be helping with his training. 

“You need to be adaptable if you’re going to be Robin,” Bruce replied stiffly. 

Tim straightened his shoulders and greeted Arthur with a handshake, “Hello Sir, I’m Tim.” 

“Hi, I’m going to be teaching you how to swim and fight,” Arthur said as the water dripped off of his chest and hair. 

“I’m not really dressed for the water. I didn’t know where we were going until I got here,” Tim tried to explain. 

“First lesson, there are no right clothes, second expect not to fight fair,” Arthur promptly threw out his arm and knocked Tim of the docks. 

“That was sudden,” Bruce commented as Arthur dove in after him. He watched making sure he didn’t need to intervene 

Tim came up sputtering and expecting a fight what little he knew about Atlantiens they were fierce fighters. He scanned until he saw Arthur. Tim flipped his dark hair out of his eyes and prepared for a fight. He remembered everything that he’d had been taught in the classes he’d taken, it wasn’t enough for the hulking king of Atlantis. 

Arthur was slower than usual, but it wasn’t slow enough for Tim to actually get in a hit. It went on for hours, Tim would dodge and flail in the cold water. Arthur would sometimes laugh and give him a hand up to keep him from slipping completely down in the water. Striking and hitting went on; Tim felt like he was ready to drop as if this was Bruce way of telling him that he wasn’t worthy, or good enough for Robin.

Another hit made a splash in the water, he fell himself falling in the nasty water. He could give up. Promise not to tell anyone and walk away, no one would know. He was a teenager how could he help? Tim thought about chasing Robin and Batman in the streets, of lonely manors, and of the reasons he was doing this. He had to save Bruce, to ultimately save Gotham. Tim fought back to the surface and remembered that he didn’t have to beat Arthur; he had to learn and not die. Easy, right? 

He fell back in the bay. This was going to be a long training session, he only hoped that he learned something other than Gotham bay was one of the worst places to be at midnight with Arthur Curry and Bruce Wayne. That was worded wrong, he thought as he got back up again. 

Arthur looked at the teen, he had been first in teaching the kid, and Bruce told him to go hard on him. Arthur knew that Bruce had wanted him to quit, and Arthur didn’t want another Robin. He saw what happened to the Jason and the first Robin had left Bruce. It didn’t seem that Bruce knew how to deal or treat people. Robin’s tended to have their wings clipped to be permanently grounded. If he was rough in a training session in the bay and the kid quit the worst he’d get was a cold and he’d be safe enough living in Gotham without being Robin. 

He didn’t expect the kid to keep coming up and trying to fight him. He laughed a little to himself the kid had spunk it made up for what he didn’t have in muscle. The kid was tired, Arthur saw that he was getting slower and his movements were sloppy. It had almost been three hours and the kid was still getting up. Arthur knew that if, and when the kid became Robin he would be a fighter. 

“That’s enough, kid. You still want to be Robin?” Arthur asked as he started swimming to the dock. 

Tim followed cautiously behind the larger man it wasn’t until he crawled to the dock and clawed his way up refusing help from both Bruce and Arthur that he replied, “I’m going to be Robin. I wasn’t able to win tonight, but give me time and I will.” 

Bruce and Arthur knew that nothing would deter him. Bruce sighed he didn’t want another soldier, and it seemed that he was getting another Robin. He saw that Tim was still catching his breath from the long cold water fight. 

“Your welcome to come by the manor, Alfred has coffee and some other things prepared. We could discuss pointers,” Bruce asked he was hoping that Tim would have quit. 

“Sure, Alfred makes the best coffee, and the kid’s got spunk that needs to be harnessed,” Arthur replied. 

“This night’s a lot better than I thought it would go considering that I thought I was going to be murdered and my body tossed in the bay,” Tim muttered as he sat in the back seat of the car Bruce had driven there. He tried to keep from shivering as he listened to Arthur and Bruce’s chatter about the League and other subjects. Tim tried to keep from falling asleep, but he realized that he failed when Bruce shook him awake when they got to the manor. Tim walked into the manor where Alfred shook his head and handed Tim and Arthur a change of clothes. Tim wondered if the Batler (a joke he kept to himself) was magical he always knew what was needed. 

They both changed quickly and met in the kitchen where Alfred had a coffee and some sort of cookies, Tim was afraid to ask. They always tasted good, yet he was sneaky about putting things in them to make them more… healthy. They sat down around the table with Alfred watching from the side of the room. Tim sipped the coffee, it was strong and bitter just like he liked it. 

“What was your biggest flaw?” Arthur asked Tim. 

“I couldn’t land a punch, and you were able to knock me down every time,” Tim stated. 

“It wasn’t bad for the first crime-fighting in the bay. Honestly, you have a lot of potential I think that you can do it. I can help with water fighting anytime you need it,” Arthur told him as he looked at the kid who was downing another cup of black cup of coffee. 

“Thanks, I do need more work in bay fighting. Your teaching takes some getting used to, but if I can pass I don’t think much can get me down,” Tim said as he smiled at Arthur. 

“You aren’t like any kid I’ve ever met before,” Arthur said as he laughed a little. 

“Who’s going to teach me next? Oracle? Flash? Cyborg? Wonder Woman?” Tim asked excitedly as the caffeine in the coffee caught up with him. 

“Who’s Oracle?” Arthur asked, 

“The most badass paraplegic you’ll ever meet. I talked to her and she’s the one that said to be Robin, even after everything that happened to her,” Tim stated, “Wait, she isn’t a part of the league?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter! 
> 
> Finals week kicked my butt, and then I got sick, so this may be edited later. I really hope it isn't terrible.
> 
> Thank you for all the nice comments and kudos those make day.
> 
> I really tried to think about how Arthur would react to training a kid I love Aqualad, but I couldn't find much material on his training.


	4. ice cream isn't training, but it is fun

Since Tim’s last training session he learned not to mention Barbara Gordon was Oracle, or anything related to her or Nightwing in Bludhaven. He still was working on his water fighting. It was a work in progress, to say the least. He was able to work in the water longer than the first time and Arthur was impressed with his improvement. Time was going by so fast now that Tim was working toward a goal. Right then Tim was working on his homework Bruce had assigned him. Tim bit the end of the pencil as he worked through the logic problems a lot of them were simple, but others made him question if they actually had a reasonable answer. He bit his pencil again as he read the problem again. Bruce really hadn’t stopped trying to get him to change his mind, but at least he was using more subtle means now. By subtle, it was ten pages of logic problems that would make the Riddler go even madder. 

Tim decided to skip the problem he’d been staring at for five minutes and move on the next one. A whoosh of air swirled around him and blue lighting sat on his bed. 

“Hi, I’m, uh Barry. Bruce told me you were expecting me. I’m the Flash, by the way,” Barry said as he looked around Tim’s room taking in all the decorations and the blue comforter and Batman sheets. The room seemed messy, but in a way that the kid knew where everything he owed was. 

“Uh, hey, I’m Tim Drake. Bruce hasn’t told me anything about when or who I’m training with,” Tim sighed, “What are you teaching me today?” Tim noticed Barry eyeing the many pages of logic problems and if he was an cartoon character his eyes would have bulged out. 

“I will text you, or let you know next time I come over. You could have been in the shower or busy, that’s weird,” Barry said. 

Tim and Barry exchanged cell phone numbers quickly. Tim was glad that at least one of the members of the Justice League wanted to give him some warning before coming over or just texting an address to a creepy run-down part of town. When they were done giving out number an awkward silence fell on the room. 

“I was going to teach you something boring like lab safety, but you probably know it. I read over your school files how many science AP classes did you take? I work in a lab and I would never have taken that many classes and still have time for things like intense training to be a vigilante,” Barry told him as he saw Tim blush. This kid was so different than Arthur had told him about. 

“I have an inquisitive mind,” Tim said as he tilted his head a little deflecting the question. 

“I was thinking how about we do something fun. Something not like fighting in the water or some crazy exercise with horses and swords that Diana was talking about. We could do extreme motion training, while I do weight training exercises?” Barry suggested. Tim wondered if Barry just didn’t want to go over lab safety. 

Tim realized what he was meaning too soon, he barely replied yes and Barry was carrying Tim on his back like a baby koala. Tim loved it. 

The air was literally whipping his dark hair around and making his face sting with all the air hitting it. It was better than the fastest wooden roller coaster, and Tim knew because he had ridden the fastest one. Barry stopped somewhat suddenly and Tim braced himself for the impact that never came. He opened his eyes and saw that they were at the top of a building in Central City. 

“Why here?” Tim asked before he could stop himself. 

Barry dangled his feet over the fifty-story ledge, “I like seeing the people, the cars. Reminds me why I use my speed to help people I like making up stories,” Barry sighed, “That man in the apartment has been working on supper for hours for his wife. The woman in the other apartment is dancing to death metal in a tutu. You try it,” Barry prompted.

“The kids are watching cartoons, and on their phones,” Tim said as he pointed to the three preteens in an apartment. 

“Which cartoon?” Barry asked. 

“Either Voltron, or Scooby Do,” Tim said with certainty. 

“How do you know?” Barry asked as he tried to look closer. 

“I go to school with them. They live-tweet everything. I didn’t even know they lived here,” Tim showed him his phone that had tweets and hashtags like, #cartoons #lazyday #Legendarydefender #Scoobydo. “I recognized them and I knew they would have what they were doing online. Bruce tells me I need to be more observant and use things to gain more knowledge of people. It sounds creepier when he says it, I know it’s for my own good, but I am never posting anything online again. Bruce is crazy paranoid. ” 

“It’s more fun when you don’t know what they are really doing. What if it was something like they were triplets separated at birth and they just met, but none of them speak the same language so they have to use their phones to communicate.” Barry said making up a story for them. 

“That is more interesting, I guess. Bruce has been giving me homework and I guess I got used to making sure all the answers are right and have citations. This is kind of a fun game. What if the older lady there,” Tim asked as he pointed a white-haired lady dancing in front of a mirror, “is a retired spy/dancer she danced her way into counties and breaking men’s heart along the way.” 

“She stole jewels and secrets, the only way that America survived was, she fell in love with a dashing young British officer named Alfred and he talked her out of selling the secrets,” Barry ended the story with a flourish.

They both laughed at Alfred saving the day in that way in their made up story. “You know I talked to Dick Grayson, the first Robin and he didn’t want me to do this. He told me about Jason, what a good kid he was, and that Jason didn’t have another place to go to. Bruce was the one who took him in and made him a son like he did with Dick. I’m not doing it because I want to be taken in and made a part of a family. I want to make a difference in Gotham, I remember looking up to Batman and he was a hero and not something that made innocent people scared,” Tim told Barry as he played with his hands and stared out at Central City. 

“What’s he like? Dick Grayson, is he like Bruce?” Barry asked he’d been wondering it for so long. 

“He smiles, and it’s not strained and fake like Bruce does. He’s shorter than Bruce and he moves like a dancer almost. He told me in no uncertain way that he outgrew Robin and wasn’t taking any steps backward. He tried to feed me cereal and milk,” Tim added as an afterthought. "He is the opposite of Brice in some ways, and like him in a lot of other ways." 

“Cereal? I didn’t see Bruce as the dad who would let their kids eat sugar for breakfast. I want to meet this guy,” Barry said incredulously. “This changes everything.” 

 

They continued to stare at the people in the apartment across from them and just watched the cars moving. 

“You know Bruce told me this was training for me?” Barry asked Tim. 

Tim looked at him quizzically, “How, you’re already a really cool hero?”

“I needed to be able to talk to people normally. I sometimes talk to fast or I think of things and get bored with the person I’m supposed to be listening to. Working at my job has been great practice, but Bruce told me that I needed help with kids and teens,” Barry said as he looked Tim in the eyes. 

“I didn’t think about that. Is it hard being a speedster?” Tim asked.

“In a way it is hard. I mean lines and waiting are boring. I don’t have to have a car or anything, that’s cool. I have to have a crazy amount of calories and it’s cool how I have, uh work associates with Bruce, Arthur, Victor, and Diana. The real reason I run to save people? There is nothing like feeling you get when you save someone. But just because I’m a ‘hero’ doesn’t mean that my problems disappear. Even when you become Robin life isn’t going to be easier, if anything it will probably get harder,” Barry told Tim. 

“I know. It’s got to be worth it though. I know I can do it, Robin is something that I can do,” Tim insisted. “I know it’s not easy and I have to believe it’s worth it.” 

“I run because I don’t want other people to get hurt. My life hasn’t been easy, but it made me who I am I like that person. Diana once said, ‘We have to fight for those who can’t fight for themselves.’ I liked how she summed it up.” 

“I do too,” Tim said as he mused on what it meant. 

“Hey, do you want some ice cream?” Barry asked as he stood up, and back up from the ledge slightly.

“Sure, where is the best place in Central?” Tim asked as Barry scooped him up and placed him on his back and ran them to an alley. Tim held on for dear life as Barry ran. The alley was cleaner than the ones in Gotham, but it was still littered with beer bottles and cigarette butts. It had a terrible smell that Tim hoped he didn’t find the source. 

Barry let Tim down from the piggyback ride; Tim tried to press out the wrinkles in his clothes with his hands with no luck. Barry gave him a strange look as he tidied his appearance. They started walking toward the end of the alley when a man in dark clothes jumped in front of them brandishing a knife. 

“Give me your wallets!” The man demanded as he held the knife threateningly. 

“Geez, you picked the wrong guys to try and steal from,” Tim said as he used a kick Bruce had taught him. 

Barry took the knife from him in the blink of an eye the man was down on the ground with zip ties on his wrists. 

“It’s a little creepy how you carry zip ties with you at all times. I thought that Central’s crime rate was better than Gotham’s?” Tim said. 

“Gotham’s crime rate made Central look better. I’m working on making it safer,” Barry told him as he shuffled his feet a little at the zip tie comment. “Follow me the ice cream parlor is this way.” 

The ice cream parlor was mostly empty when they walked in. Tim noticed the bright blue and pink color scheme and cool temperature that all ice cream places seemed to have. They looked at the choices for a few minutes, Barry sampled every flavor the place with the little cups that were set out before committing to a cup of strawberry mixed with chocolate, and cheesecake. Tim decided to on getting a small cup of cookies and cream mixed with a chocolate. Barry paid for the ice cream the teenage girl that checked them out was friendly, if maybe a little too friendly, she gave Barry her employee discount. She also winked at him and told him, “Come back later if you want something sweet again.” 

Barry and Tim both blushed and walked quickly. Barry led Tim through the crowded streets until they reached a duck pond. They sat on a park bench and talked for a while. The ice cream was long gone when Barry realized the time, “I better get you back. Bruce said for you to be back in Gotham by 2:30. We’ll do this again, all training and no fun, really is no fun.” 

“I’d like that. Today was a lot of fun, thanks,” Tim told him politely. 

The walk back to the alley went by quickly, and the trip home to Gotham was over in seconds. Tim was back in his room with a stack of logic problems. 

“I’ll see you soon, Tim,” Barry said as he sped off. 

Tim compared it to the last training session with Aquaman, the League members where so different. He was a little concerned about what Barry said Diana was planning for him. He sighed and went back to working on his homework. Life was never dull since he marched over to Wayne Manor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my favorite chapter. I loved Tim, Bart, and Kon's friendship in the teen titans comics that's part of why I wanted Barry and Tim to be friends despite their age difference.
> 
> Merry Christmas!


	5. drag is degrading, but cameras will always tell

Tim was surprised that Barry texted him through the week. It was simple friendly things, Tim thought as he read through them. Bruce was slowly accepting him as they settled into a routine, every day but Sunday he would go to Wayne Manor and train with Bruce. Once a week on a random day the League would train him to show him new skills.

Tim was still almost surprised at how each of the League was teaching him, he still had a week left in the month that Bruce was going to decide if he could be Robin. It was hard to keep calm as the time approached Bruce wasn't any different than when he first started, but the members of the Justice League made up for it in a way. Barry had taken him out for ice cream, and Arthur still was teaching him about how to keep afloat in any kind of fight. Tim was learning dirty fighting from Arthur and more controlled fighting with Bruce. It was crazy in three weeks he had been learning about things that no other teenager in Gotham had.

Tim was nervous about how Diana's training was going to go after he heard Barry talking about. He tried to study about her culture which there was no information about, so he turned to Greek myths and legends trying to find out anything he could about the Wonder Woman. He was in the Gotham library surrounded by books that were old and dusty pouring over the books filled with lore. Tim barricaded himself in the little room in the back of the library with the books. Barbara knew about him and his "unique studies" she was helped him anyway she could.

He was so enthralled in the books he didn't notice when someone sat down beside him in the opposing chair. Tim practically jumped out of his skin when he looked up and saw a glowing red eye staring at him.

"Hello, I'm Victor Stone time for lesson number three, Timothy," Cyborg said to the teen in a creepy way that Victor had been practicing ever since he had been told that he could teach Tim something.

"Hi, Mr. Stone. What are you going to teach me?" Tim asked as he turned to sit in the library chair to face Victor. Tim was trying to seem calm, even though his heart was hammering in his chest at the scare he had.

"Avoiding security cameras, and being more aware of your surroundings apparently," Victor said with a smile.

"Sounds good sir, how is this going to go down, or do I have to piece it together?" Tim asked.

"I'm going to tell you. Bruce just said I couldn't give you forewarning, and I had to seem scary," Victor said.

"Oh, ok, that sounds like fun," Tim said as he thought it over and how helpful it would be to avoid the cameras littered around the city. He saw that Victor was smiling, he seemed to think this was going to be fun. Tim hoped that he wasn't a cruel man who enjoyed watching people suffer, but he was a superhero so he had to be a good person, right?

"I have it planned for you to go across Gotham to the University and back, but you can only be seen by two cameras. I am hooked into every camera all across Gotham so I will know where you are," Victor explained, "Questions?"

"Am I allowed to use any mode of transportation? Does it count if I dress up?" Tim asked as he tried to think of loopholes. Ideas and ways to avoid cameras and suspicion started to form in his mind as he thought of how to adapt to the challenge.

"I'm going to give you a partial map, you can dress up if you use things in this building without stealing them, of course," Victor said, he didn't think that Tim would really find anything useful in a library of all places. Victor saw the smile that crept on Tim's face when he said that it was slow and the type that signaled that a light bulb was going off in his head.

"The map to avoid most of the cameras, I'll be watching from here," Victor informed him as he motioned for Tim to check his phone. Tim looked at his phone and saw the GPS map had a route laid out.

"Is there a time limit?" Tim asked as he saw Victor pull his hood down farther down his face, as he settled in the chair.

"No, as long as you don't get caught on any cameras," Victor replied.

Tim turned and studied the map. He could have a disguise as long as it was from the library so he sought out Barbara, who was working at the front desk in the Gotham City Library. She was thumbing through a hit novel, the library was almost empty and no one was in line to check out any books. Barbara smiled when she saw Tim coming to her, "Hey, Tim got any books this time?"

"No, but you know how the JL is giving me some skills. Cyborg is seeing how well I can avoid cameras, do you have a hat or scarf I could borrow?" Tim asked as he thought of his plan.

"Yeah, I have just the thing follow me," Barbara said as she wheeled her way the employees lounge. She handed him her long black, very feminine rain coat and a floppy hat that never had been in style. Tim pulled the coat on and placed the hat unceremoniously on his head. "No, not like that," Barbara said as she undid the tie on the coat. "You want to blend in, Tim. Victor won't be looking for you like this," she laughed a little and adjusted the coat to look more natural and feminine. Barbara fiddled with the hat for a few minutes but wasn't satisfied until she found a scarf to wrap around his head and then put the hat on him.

"I look like a grandma, don't I?" Tim asked as he smiled a little at his disguise.

"Yeah, make sure if you don't get kidnapped by Riddler as a hostage. See you soon, Robin," Barbara said as she wheeled herself back to the front desk. She saw Tim walk out slowly and hunched over like someone who had a life of bending over and working in a factory. She shook her head, Victor Stone may be a Gothamite, but he wasn't prepared for them. She'd give Tim a head start before telling the cyborg the change in plans.

Tim looked at his phone and followed the map the University wasn't that far away in a cab, but that wasn't an option with the map that Victor gave him. So Tim took the sidewalks and more populated areas that signaled cameras. Dressing in drag as an 'older woman' had it disadvantages, mainly he was a bigger target to be mugged. He moved knowing that Victor could see everything, and was most likely tracking his phone's GPS signal. It was dodging, blending in with crowds, looking at the ground and not engaging anyone with anyone the streets. Tim kept a sharp eye out as he passed people on the streets, it was hard to not race down the street at a pace that he normally walked at.

Tim was sure not to blow his cover as he walked on to the huge campus. Surprisingly enough no one greeted him when he walked into one of the buildings and got the Spring classes brochure and tucked it into one of the pockets of Barbara's raincoat. Tim was about to leave the building when he saw that there was a high school tour going on. The tour he skipped because he knew what he was going to do and what college he was going to. The teacher had made it optional, and Tim belatedly regretted the decision of dressing in drag. He wasn't close to anyone in his class except for one or two of the students. The students were following a peppy guide, Tim kept his head down and stayed in character even though he just wanted to bolt at the sight of his classmates and teacher. He slowly turned away from them and kept his face down and walked out of the building with an even gait.

The walk back to the library was filled with trepidation, Tim was sure he had been careful avoiding the cameras, but Victor would be the judge of it. The streets were filled with fewer people so he had to be wary of the alley's that could hide crimes so easily. He saw the library and almost ran to it wanting to be free of the borrowed clothes, and to see if he passed the test.

Barbara wasn't at the front desk when he came in so he carefully took off the coat, scarf, and floppy summer hat placing them in the employees lounge. Tim flicked his wrist and saw that he had been gone for forty minutes. He silently cursed his old woman pace he had to keep. Victor was in the same place that he had been before, but he wasn't alone. Barbara and he were engaged in a lively discussion.

"It is crazy, I have people that think I need help with things that a child wouldn't, but because I'm in a wheelchair I need help," Barbara was saying as she turned to see Tim walking towards them. Tim was thankful for the privacy the back room provided for them to talk about anything. 

"I have the opposite reaction people think I can do everything, or that because I'm part machine that I'm not the same anymore and it scares them," Victor was saying, "I tried to talk to some of my friends from high school, but they didn't know how to react to me not being dead and the whole... being Cyborg thing."

"Hey, I'm back," Tim said as he reached them, "Did you see me on the cameras?"

"I didn't see you, but I did see a 5' 4'' old woman in jeans and floppy hat. Barbara told me to look for you like in disguise. Even then I saw you on the college's staircase and in a street camera. Those are almost impossible to avoid," Victor explained.

Tim thought back to the college and remembered that he saw the cameras, but there wasn't a way to not be seen by them.

"You did good, but I think with some more practice you could be invisible to cameras. How did you come up with the idea to use Barbara's clothes as a means to go undetected?" Victor asked genuinely interested.

"I read a lot of books, and it seemed like a better way to go incognito. Barbara was really the genius behind it. She had the clothes and the style behind it,," Tim explained trying not to sound like a weirdo and a stalker.

Barbara took a look at her watch before telling them, "I better get back to the front desk. My break is almost over. It was great talking to you Victor, I hope we can talk again, soon," she winked at Tim and wheeled her way back to the front desk.

"Can you see everything all the time?" Tim asked it was a question the had been plaguing him as he walked to and from the library.

"Yeah. I can't turn it off," Victor admitted.

The next day in the Batcave.

The sounds of metal creaking and the grunts that could only mean that Bruce was working out. It wouldn't have been out of the ordinary, except Alfred knew his routines he worked out for two solid hours took a shower and then worked on open cases. He should be looking over the cases by now. Alfred sighed, and set his shoulders preparing for a talk with someone he had raised but had no proper emoting skills.

"Are you done yet?"

Bruce dropped the sledgehammer he'd been beating a tractor tire with the cave resounded with a terrible clunk.

"That will finish it up," Bruce replied as he wiped sweat from his face and reached for a drink. "Is there anything wrong?"

"You worked out for nearly four hours I wanted to know what was on your mind," Alfred said as he came closer to Bruce and handed him a towel.

"I'm I doing the right thing? I kept Jason's uniform as a reminder that I would never place another innocent boy's life in danger for my crusade. I remember Jason and he was so full of life and it's my fault that he never got to live out the life he always wanted," Bruce sighed, "The league that met Tim love him, and in a way, I wish that it was Jason that they were meeting. Jason was my son and now, I, I just don't know. I find that I like Tim, but I feel like I'm replacing Jason. I promised him that I'd never forget or replace him."

"You also promised that you'd never forget your parents and you also promised that you'd never let Richard out of your sight until he was thirty. Things change, Bruce. Jason was many things, he was smart, funny, and so determined, but you've put him on a pedestal. He was only a teenager and he was one of the best teenagers I've had the pleasure of seeing grow, but he's dead Bruce. Tim isn't, he is begging for someone to notice and let him help that he doesn't say anything when you spring tests on him or when League members show up unannounced to train him in some way that is just to test him and see if he'll quit so you won't' feel guilty. He isn't going away and you know it. Tim is staying and you are going to treat him like Robin. Richard had been asking me about him, he's going to be coming to Gotham soon just see how training is going with him," Alfred said, tired of watching Bruce contact ways of getting Tim to quit.

"You're right. You're always right." Bruce said, "Robin is a legacy that I've let my own guilt taint. Tim is going to be treated better." Bruce didn't look Alfred in the eye as he turned and walked toward the showers mulling over how to make it up to him.

Alfred knew that like Batman need Robin that sometimes Bruce Wayne needed a reminder that he was human and was capable of mistakes. He would be there to point out his flaws and correct him when he could. Alfred had his own guilt at staying silent when he might have talked him out of his whole "Do you Bleed" crusade with Clark. Alfred had resolved to not stay silent when he knew that Bruce would regret it later, and he prayed that making Tim Robin wouldn't be another bloody mistake that ate at him. Jason was so young and naïve and reckless and jaded at the same time. Tim wasn't anything like him, and it killed Alfred to admit it was in Tim's favor that he didn't have Jason's hot-headed style of doing anything.

Bruce was still thinking about it as he took a shower, and it strengthened his resolve to be a better mentor.

Bruce was waiting for Tim when he came in the came in the cave his regular fifteen minutes early. Tim was rather chipper as he smiled at something until he saw Bruce sharpening his Batarang. Bruce felt slightly guilty at being the reason for him losing the smile. Tim walked over to Bruce with a small backpack and water bottle.

"What are you teaching me today, Mr. Wayne," Tim asked as he shifted his feet back and forth as he stared at Bruce.

Bruce smirked a little, "Something fun, Kav Maga."

"Awesome. The Israeli army hand to hand combat method of training their troops," Tim said as his eyes lit up he sat his backpack with his change of clothes and water bottle down on the desk. "I always wanted to learn it."

It was an hour later that Tim's enthusiasm had dulled a little after Bruce had taught him some of the basics. Bruce was trying more than he had to be a better mentor. He was careful when he was instructing Tim, he wasn't Jason and he didn't know him for the two weeks they had trained together he didn't get to know him. Bruce watched Tim move and laugh with Alfred, and after he heard Barry's report he knew that Jason and Tim wouldn't have gotten along. Jason would have called him a nerd, even though Jason had read Pride and Prejudice three times. Jason wasn't perfect and Bruce finally realized how much he had justified so much by using Jason's death as an excuse.

He was going to train Tim to be a good Robin, without dishonoring Jason's memory. Dick, oh, Bruce could imagine his son's reaction if he was around to see him and Tim train. Arthur, the man that ran away from his responsibility to his home was more encouraging to Tim. Barry didn't actually teach him anything, but he was a friend.

Bruce was pulled from his spiral when Tim landed a blow on him.

"Sorry, I thought you were going to dodge!" Tim apologized as he stood back ready for Bruce to react.

"Good job, I was hoping you would incorporate other styles in the Krav Maga. Now let's try it again," Bruce said as got back into position.

Tim beamed at the compliment and got back in a defensive position ready for the training to begin again. They continued with Bruce making occasional comments on his technique it was intense as they trained with Bruce not letting Tim get in another hit.

They were both so enthralled with fighting and avoid getting hit that they both didn't notice when the cave had two new occupants. Dick Grayson and Alfred watched from the steps, "I knew the kid could do it," Dick said as he watched them remembering when it was him and Bruce sparring. 

“I knew they both could," Alfred replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tim's cross dressing was inspired by the comic were he dressed as a med student, Caroline Hill. It makes me laugh everytime I read it. 
> 
> I hope everyone has a great new year! Enjoy freedom before school starts back.


	6. injustices abound, or heroes wouldn't have a job

Tim looked up from his training to see Alfred and Dick Grayson watching them from a corner in the cave. Bruce took the second that Tim was distracted to get in a hit, it wasn’t a hard one, but it was a reminder that he needed to pay attention, and not be distracted. 

“Did you see them?” Tim asked as he accepted the hand up that Bruce offered him. 

“Yes, they got here a half an hour ago,” Bruce said as shook his head at Dick waving at them. “We can cut tonight’s training short. Dick wouldn’t have come unless it was important.” 

“Did you two train like this?” Tim asked before he thought better of it. 

“No, he was always more aerial than I was. We developed different styles for each of us. I was younger then and could barely keep up him then. He was always in the air,” Bruce said as he reminisced about when Dick still lived at home.

“You did great!” Dick said as they walked over to them. Tim almost looked behind him for someone else at Dick’s praise, he wasn’t that good. Bruce was a good teacher and Tim learned a lot, but he wasn’t that good. Each lesson was a reminder that he had so much more to learn. 

Bruce replied, “He is getting better. Tim will be street-ready in no time at all.” 

If it wasn’t for aching from the work out he would have pinched himself to see if it was real. Dick Grayson was the coolest person, well, one of the coolest people he’d ever met. Dick laughed and told Bruce, “You probably teaching him acrobatics all wrong. You were always too grounded when you fought.” 

Bruce had grunted and smiled a little before he replied, “He wasn’t made for the circus like you.” 

“Everyone has a little circus in them. He looks pretty limber to me,” Dick said as he eyed Tim again winking at him.

“I try, but some of the limbering up exercises are unnatural,” Tim said as he thought about the agility exercises he had done, and failed to do. 

“I’ll have to show you some good stretches that really help limber you up,” Dick promised he grew more serious as he faced Bruce. “B. I didn’t just come for a fun chat with you and Timmy. I found some information that you need to see.” He held out files filled with paper and photos.

“Slade has been contacted and I just found out from one of my C.I.s that he and others are planning something to do with the League. I don’t have a complete list of who he’s in with, but I know the Joker’s one of them,” Dick was saying as he pulled out pictures of Deathstroke on a boat. “I couldn’t get any more pictures because the satellite was hacked. You need to tell your friends, they need to be prepared take the element of surprise away from them.” 

“You right. I’ll call a meeting with them. You can come and explain your findings to them. I think you would be a good fit to join one day,” Bruce added to everyone’s surprise. 

“I don’t know about joining. I’ll tell them what I know, and then get back to Gotham’s wicked sister,” Dick joked. Tim caught how the microsecond where Dick’s face showed the full surprise of being invited into the Justice League. The three of them stayed in the Batcave talking about possible scenarios that Deathstroke and the Joker could be up to. The ideas they came up with were at best weird and worst impossible. 

Alfred announced that dinner was done when they had come up with a plethora of circumstances, but no real answers. Tim usually stayed for dinner on Alfred’s insistence, he had been told many times that if he could feed a speedster he could certainly feed a teenager, but tonight seemed a lot different. Bruce seemed happier, Dick was ready with truly awful jokes and stories from Bludhaven that would have shocked anyone who wasn’t familiar with Gotham. It was a reminder of why Batman existed, to protect families Tim thought as he saw Alfred try not to laugh at a joke a prostitute had told Dick when he arrested her. Dinner was so much more alive with Dick there and Bruce actually speaking instead of staring at the newspaper, or at his plate. 

The manor had more life in it. It still was insanely huge for just two people, every when the entire Justice League were there it still had plenty of empty space. Dick seemed like he’d never left the manor his easy manner and talking making everyone around him feel at ease. Tim saw firsthand that Dick was great at just talking. He asked Tim about himself without being overly nosy or creepy. It was the subtle bonding over which Star Trek was better, or how Bruce thought listening to music and training was a sign of weakness that you needed something to distract you.

Tim stayed until Bruce and Dick went on patrol together he left for his house. As soon as he was home he ran to his room to research everything he could on Slade Wilson and The Joker. Every person from Gotham knew about the Joker he was the monster in the dark children told stories to each other about. He was a villain that didn’t care who, or how many people were injured or killed if it was funny to him. 

Tim pulled up his laptop and started to read most of the forums on the Joker. Very few of them were believable so he did the next best thing, he called his friend who worked at the police station.

“This is Barry,” the unmistakable voice rang out as Tim put the phone on speaker so he could write notes if he needed to. He was thankful for the time difference that allowed for it to be night in Gotham, but evening in Central City. 

“Hi, Barry, it’s me Tim. Did you get Bruce’s message about the meeting tomorrow?” Tim asked as he thought about the best way to ask for him to look in police records. He would have hacked them, but Barbra was still teaching him how to finesse the systems to leave no trace. Bruce hadn’t trained him on it yet. 

“Yeah, I’ll be there. Is anything else up? I was just about to leave, oh crap I’m going to be late,” Tim heard a crash over the phone. 

“Barry? Is everything o.k.?” Tim asked as the call dropped. He immediately hit the call button and waited as it went to voice mail, “Hey, you’ve reached Barry leave a message if you have the right number.” Tim ended the call and tried to think of reasons that Barry would hang up on him, all with Dick’s information fresh in his mind. What if the Joker and Deathstroke were trying to take out the League, one by one? 

He leaped out of his chair and ran all the way to Wayne Manor. The League needed to be in on this, they couldn’t take the chances that it was a fluke. Barry was one of the most easily reachable League members, not to mention friendly it didn’t make sense. 

Tim knocked wildly on the door of Wayne manor hoping that Alfred would hear it. It was barely a minute when the old butler opened the door. 

“Tim? What is wrong?” Alfred asked as he looked at the teenager who obviously had run from his home to the Manor. 

“Nothing is wrong with me. Can you see if you can get in touch with Barry? I was talking to him and there was a crash and the call dropped,” Tim explained. 

“That can be easily checked. Bruce has trackers on his friends except for Clark and Diana,” Alfred assured Tim as they speed walked to the Batcave. 

Alfred immediately checked the tracker that was planted in Barry’s shoes and clothes. The batcomputer lit up with a light blue signal with a T in it that was easily recognizable as a tracker in the Batcave. Tim had assumed that he would get a tracker when he became Robin not before. A deep purple with a C was Victor’s also somewhere in Gotham according to the map, and a red lightning bolt was farther away and it wasn’t moving. 

“This does seem to be rather alarming.” Alfred muttered under his breath as he considered the possibilities. “I’ll alert Bruce to the situation, and then the League.” 

“What can I do?” Tim asked as he looked at the little dots that trackers signaled. 

“Try calling him again and look at the cases he was working on. It’s entirely possible that he was not kidnaped because he was a part of the Justice League. Stay calm,” Alfred reminded him. 

“I’m calm. I’m looking into it now,” Tim said as he sat on the other side of the desk and hacked into the Central City police records. The slight fear of being caught outweighed the desperation and anxiety Tim felt for the older League member. Tim typed furiously with a single-minded purpose at his task.

Alfred was discussing the situation with Bruce, who announced he and Nightwing were coming in from patrol. They hadn't been patrolling for long so they would be back in the cave in no time at all. Alfred just sighed as pondered the situation his mind military sharp and ready for anything. 

Tim saw the cases Barry was working on was mostly grunt work in the lab usual for a new hire even though his letter of recommendation was written by none other than the Prince of Gotham. Tim decided then and there he wanted to know how it was explained that Barry and Bruce knew each other. Even as he researched more on the case files Barry had worked on and kept calling Barry to listen to the same voice mail over and over.

Tim couldn't help, but think about the Deathstroke and the Joker working together. If they were working together why couldn't other villain's be involved?

A loud roar from the Batmobile alerted both of them that Bruce and Dick were back, it was seconds later when they saw it pull in to the cave. A swish of Bruce’s cape and he was out of the Batmobile, while Nightwing chose a fancier flip that he landed seamlessly on the ground with. 

“Any new developments?” Bruce asked as he walked over to them. 

“No, I was getting ready to call the League they need to be alerted,” Alfred said. 

“I’ll do it. Dick, see if there is any security footage of Barry at the last place he was known to be. Tim, I’d tell you to go home, but you would go crazy. Try to find anything that might shed light on the situation.

"Mr. Wayne, what if Deathstroke and the Joker are working with others? If they are working together why couldn't other villains be in League with them?" Tim asked as he looked over Dick's shoulder at the security footage from across Barry's warehouse. 

The footage showed Barry on his cell phone as he walked out of the warehouse, he was dressed better than Bruce or Tim had ever seen him. He was fumbling with the keys when the unmistakable figure of Deathstroke came into view. Deathstroke proceeded to swagger up to Flash he must have said something at Barry reaction. The mask he wore obstructed the view otherwise they could have read his lips. Flash and Deathstroke eyed each other again sizing each other up, it didn't last long Deathstroke started to engage. 

They watched like as the fight started Deathstroke was fast for a human, but Barry was superhumanly fast. Deathstroke was being aggressive without using lethal force he was trying to get close. 

It was a violent exchange that went back and forth between them. Barry was barely holding his own, Bruce wondered why he didn't just run away. He could have run to any member of the League for help, but he stayed and fought with Slade. 

The exchange was ended abruptly when Deathstroke caught Barry by roping his legs together. Deathstroke pulled out a hypodermic syringe and injected Barry into the neck with a clear liquid.

The Batcave was silent and grim as they watched Deathstroke do a two finger salute to the security camera it was clear that he wanted it to be known. 

Bruce immediately went to call the League, but before he could Victor called him. "We need to talk. I saw some security footage from Barry's warehouse he's been kidnapped by Deathstroke," Victor reported. "I know, we need to get everyone together to discuss how to get him back and deal with Deathstroke," Bruce said as he paced back and forth. 

"I'll contact Clark and Diana if you'll tell Arthur," Victor said as he hung up. 

Bruce immediately called Arthur with a special device he had made that was almost indestructible and waterproof. Bruce was barely had to wait for an answer when Arthur gruffly said, "What is it?" 

"We need you, Barry's been kidnapped," Bruce said without wasting words. 

"I'll be there in ten minutes," and the line went dead. 

"Dick, bring the file. We need to go to the Hall of Justice," Bruce ordered. 

"I'm coming to. Berry is my friend. I listen to you and I won't be in the way," Tim said as Bruce turned to leave. 

"Fine, but you'll need different clothes. I had planned to give this to you at a better time," Bruce said as he pulled out a box that had an updated version of Jason's Robin uniform, it was exactly like the uniform changes Tim talked about with Bruce and Alfred.

Berry's POV 

It was dark and warm. Barry's head was aching, and he had a blindfold on. He was tied up with tape, rope, and handcuffs. Whoever had tied him up wasn't taking any chances with him. Barry smiled as he tried to phase out. Except, that didn't work. He was trying hard not to panic, but it was in his nature to despise close spaces and being confined. Every since being able to run at the speed of sound he had hated being coop up. This was bad. Barry was stuck in the dark kidnapped by a crazy mercenary. He should have run when he had the chance. 

"Finally you're awake!" a blood-curdling laugh echoed off the walls it didn't take a Gothamite to know who the voice belonged to, "We are going to have so much fun together."

Barry started to struggle harder against the bonds when another voice started to speak, "Don't kill him. We need him to draw the Justice League in," Barry recognized the voice as Lex Luthor. He was being held by at least three A-list villains as bait for the Justice League, and he missed his first date with Iris West. They had the worst timing ever, he finally got the courage to ask her out and now she had to think he stood her up.


End file.
